The Problem and Solution to Goal Setting

“A successful path is not the end product but the road you took to get there.”- Kay Lackey

On the road to success people often fail to realize that goal setting is a process used to help you to build your brand because it helps to define what you want and stand for in your life. Goals setting also helps to motivate you to complete steps on your life’s path to ensure you are living up to your personal mission and vision. Whether you set personal or professional goals, it is easy to get lost in the process of goal setting because of three main reasons:

1. focus becomes too narrow,

2. forget to celebrate small wins, and

3. “Getting more” becomes your main focus.

How can you develop a goal without getting lost in the process?

1. Realize that goals should not only reflect where you want to go in life but also your passion, mission, values, vision, and essentially the reason as to why you are doing what you are doing.

2. Goals you set during a specific time in your life with specific resources, may not be in line with your future, so as life changes so should your process.

3. Most importantly learn to enjoy the process, allowing yourself to analyze what does or does not work and make adjustments accordingly.

Many people use the S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevance, and Time Bound) or M.A.S.T.E.R. (Measurable, Achievable, Specific, Time-Based, Energizing, Relevant) goal methodologies to successfully achieve goals. I agree with both methods but when I teach goal-setting to my clients, I like to add re-evaluation, education, and preparation or as I like to call it REP-MASTER.

R= Re-evaluation

E= Education

P= Preparation

M= Measurable

A= Attainable

S=Specification

T= Time sensitive

E=Elvaluate

R= Relevant

Re-evaluating your goals help keep you in line with your passions, reasons for change, and identifies areas where adjustments are needed. It can also help you to prepare you mentally, emotionally, and physically for the change at hand. This can be something as small as cleaning out a space in your kitchen so you can work or as large as creating a framework for a project proposal for your organization.

Preparation also entails educating yourself about the goal in order to ensure your desired outcome is attainable by understanding your true commitment requirements. Requirements can include time, materials, people, and/or environment. During re-evaluation and education, you can identify goals or more specific task that need to be broke down into smaller more manageable task.

Manageable goals need to be measurable and specific to one outcome. Focusing on more than one outcome can result in mental paralysis or utter chaos due to the stress of needing to get everything done. Typically this is where goal abandonment happens. In other words, climb one mountain at a specific time and celebrate the success of a job well done. Celebrating the small successes will elevate and motivate you to achieve the next goal, in addition to giving you a change to evaluate your process. Continuously evaluating your goal throughout the process help maintain relevance and decrease the loss of passion, mission, values, vision, and reasons for making the change.

Goal setting can be hard and it is easy to get lost in the process of it all. The process on the other hand, is what you should enjoy because it is a sea of self-discovery. The REP-MASTER is a great way to navigate you through and achieve your goals.



By: Kay Lackey, M.A.
Organizational Development & Practice Management Consultant

Welcome to Conversation With Kay!!!!

Quote of the Weekend

“It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.” - Lou Holtz

The loads of life come in many forms, some are within your comfort zone while others may challenge your entire being. These loads of opportunity, challenges, or minor issues make some people strive to have perfection while others are fine with the status quo or buckle under the stress of it all. No matter how the load is carried, it is as different as the personalities of the people carrying it. Therefore, do not strive to carry your load as someone else does but carry it your own way.

This may mean you have to change the side the load is on. Or put it down so you can rest awhile and re-evaluate your position. But keep in mind, the only thing you can change or control is how YOU feel, act, and the things you experience while carrying the load. Do not try to change others’ feelings, thoughts, or position about your load because they are carrying their own.

Also, do not be afraid if it gets too heavy for you to carry alone. Ask for help or guidance on how to carry the load. In the end, when the load has been carried to its destination, it will not have been the load that has made you a better version of you but your experience while carrying it. Overtime you learn to lighten your load by retaining the things that make you the best version of yourself while letting go of the things that drag you down.

Have a Great Weekend

By: Kay Lackey, M.A.

Organizational Development & Practice Management Consultant

Quote is from http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/85179.Lou_Holtz

Quote of the Day

"Do not blame others for what you could not achieve because all they did was do what you were not willing to..."- Kay Lackey

In every motivational story I have heard or read they all have the same premise: people who succeed have to work really hard for it. But what sets them aside from the normal person? The answer is simple. THEY NEVER STOP. They often work longer days, overnight, and weekends. Combined with falls, spills, and utter disasters, each person has got up again and lived to fight another day. 

By falling and getting up, you learn that life is not as bad as it seems and nothing is a permanent. Everyday can bring a new opportunity and idea for success. In fact, you will learn to fall a little less and be happy with the small wins. As my best friend always says, "Don't you know small things can add up to one BIG thing if you pill them all together."

I guess the point of this post is to say, no matter what, KEEP GOING and do the things others will not. You and only you, can control how successful you can be with your drive, commitment, and willingness to go beyond what is expected.

Have an AWESOME HUMP DAY

Kay

Improving Your LinkedIn Profile

"I never aim to be the best imitation I can be because there is no originality, but rather the best version of myself."- Kay Lackey

There are an unlimited number of ways social media can be used to catapult you to the next level in your social or professional life. Whether you are using social media to network, job search, or just connect with others, social media is one of the easiest and versified ways to connect with others. In fact, social media is one of the most valuable tools in building and promoting your personal brand.

Take LinkedIn, for example, there is more than one way to effectively build an effective personal brand. However, many people tend to write their profiles like they write their resume. This can be effective in some cases but for the most part, you should tailor your LinkedIn to be eye catching from your profile picture to the groups you join. LinkedIn, like other social media outlets should be used to tell a story about you i.e. your brand.

So, it is very important to tell the most exciting, jaw dropping, expose about you in as little words as possible. Yes, as little words as possible because you only have so much time to grab someone’s attention. Here are 14 ways to improve your LinkedIn to build and promote your story (brand).

Here are 14 ways to Improve your LinkedIn:

1. Picture: Choose an appropriate and semi/professional picture. 

Unlike, Facebook, LinkedIn is primarily for professionals looking to connect with other professionals. Therefore, a bad picture can be like a bad first impression, so when choosing a picture, ensure that it portrays your brand.

2. Headline: Create an attention grabbing but relevant to your brand.

Like your picture, your headline is a little more insight to the person that you are. The headline should be attention grabbing but relevant to your brand. Most people use their current title or occupational specialty, you will very rarely see someone’s hobbies. Keep in mind: You do not have to list all of your titles and interest, this will be taken care of in your summary/experience.

3. Summary: Write a descriptive, attention grabbing, and provocative summary.

A summary is a high level overview of your experiences, task, and results that makes you stand out from others. One of the key mistakes people often make in writing their summary is using first person. Do not use first person, remember this is a story about you. Write your summary as if someone else is writing about you. Trying asking: What would others say are my best qualities?

Be sure to also include key terms relevant to your brand or skill as well as a few task and results i.e. if you work in technology, us technology terms or proven track record of increasing sales productivity by within 6 months by 40%. Make sure you standout and make people want to read more about you. Essentially it is what you bring to the table that is different than all others. Note: Keep an eye on the word count and paragraph count (3-4 paragraphs).

4. Experience: Write professional experience to include task and results.

Many people want to see what makes you different, therefore, it helps add numerical values as much as possible to your experience. Potential employers as well as current contacts want to see how you improved processes and productivity. You do not have to list all task assigned to you, like your summary, you need to show what sets you apart from people that are similar to you. Keep an eye on the word count.

5. Publications/Projects/Languages: If you have any publications or projects that you are involved in then add then to your profile. 

These can be used as a basis of discussion in groups or a way of connecting to others with similar interest.

6. Education/Certifications/Awards: Keep all of the information up to date. 

This helps other to see that your are continuously learning to become or remain a subject matter expert.

7. Additional Information: Keep an eye on the word count and ensure that it is relevant to your brand.

This section can be used to tell something personal about you: hobbies, interest, future certifications, and/or anything that you feel will help your brand.

8. Advice for contacting: Ensure that the information is up to date and all e-mail addresses have appropriate names.

Depending on your preference you can add contact information to your profile.

9. Recommendations: Ask for or accept recommendations from others or give recommendations to those whose work you appreciated and they may return the favor.

Recommendations are a great thing to have on your page. It helps others to further understand you, you skills, and quality of work.

10. URL: ensure that your URL is customized and appropriate to promote your brand.

If you have a personal blog, website, twitter, or other social media site be sure to include the URL on your LinkedIn. Depending on the content of the information, some of your sites may be inappropriate for your brand.

11. Public vs Private Profile: depending on what you are looking to do with LinkedIn. This is up to you, if you are looking to personally promote yourself, business, or organization then a public profile for you.
12. Website Links: added website links to your personal sites that you would like to promote.

13. Groups: Join groups that are relevant and of interest to you, do not join so many that it overwhelming to get involved.

14. Status Updates: Status updates are effective 8-10:00 am or 12:00-3:00 pm, people usually check LinkedIn in the morning and during/after lunch. You can also update others times as well.

**Update your LinkedIn right after the completion of projects, this way you can keep your information current. **

By: Kay Lackey, M.A.

Organizational Development & Practice Management Consultant

Resistance to Change

Why do people resist change and how can a leader decrease resistance?

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

Winston Churchill

The ability to change and adapt to internal and external demands are evitable to a successful organization. Even though change is evitable it can be very problematic to implement within an organization due to resistance. Resistance to change can occur on a number of levels but this article will focus on resistance to change in reference to people. People often resist change for a number of reasons, in fact, ten of the most common resistances to change are:

1. Loss of control over one’s environment. 
2. Fear of the unknown. 
3. Negative view of change due to past involvement in change efforts (predisposition to change). 
4. Lack of knowledge of why change is happening. 
5. No communication surrounding the change/reason for the change is unclear. 
6. Mistrust of the organization. 
7. Timing of change effort. 
8. Changes in the normal day to day operation. 
9. No seen benefit or reward from change (ex: increased work load). 
10. Employee are not consulted or included in the change effort/lack of buy-in from employee.

"Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have—and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up."

— James Belasco and Ralph Stayer

The responsibility of a leader is to minimize the resistance to change by identifying and understanding the source of resistance to predict when, where, and why resistance is happening. This information should then be used to build strategies for decreasing resistance to any change management plans. This can be a hard and very problematic solution to come up with. Can one predict resistance?

In short, YES but there is no easy way to predict the type of resistance that a leader may face. In large, people are very unique and everyone’s reason for resistance to change is different. However, a leader identify commonalities or trends of resistance within an organization. It all starts with communication. Communicating the why, when, where, how, and why can be essential in identifying areas of resistance. Communicating through change increases buy-in, allows inclusion, and most of all decreases the unknown. People are more accepting if they know what is coming even though they may not like the change.

There is no one size fits all way to eliminate resistance to change but as a leader you can minimize resistance. During change efforts, leaders need to have an open line of communication about the change to employees. Remember, change is already scary, so let’s not add to the fear.

Dr. Kay Lackey

Quotes in order, are from: http://www.brainyquote.com/ and http://www.leadershipnow.com/changequotes.html

Organizational Leadership

What is organizational leadership and why is it important?

By: Kay Lackey, M.A.

Organizational Development & Practice Management Consultant

December 7, 2014

Depending on who you ask, organizational leadership can be defined in many ways including: management of an organization, ways to achieve goals, management of employees, and so on. In a nutshell, organizational leadership is the management structure of an organization that is used to manage employees and bring them together to work toward the common goals of the organization. Organizational leadership is a beneficial tool for any business both big and small with employees. It can also be used to manage an individual’s personal life as well.

Organizational leadership begins with the leaders of an organization because they are the primary sources for the development of culture, mission, vision, values, and structure of an organization. But most importantly, they are the gate keeps to the success of the organization. Leaders have to understand their views as well as the views of those in which they manage through interactions. Interactions between leaders and employees are affected by the leader’s personal attributes such as: attitudes, opinions, beliefs, work habits, and any other outside influences that may impact his/her work as well as the attributes of the employees they manage.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
John Quincy Adams 

To understand an employee’s attributes, a leaders needs to develop a leadership style that facilitates such interactions. Successful leadership styles as well as organizational leadership begins with a strong set of ethics and communication. Ethics is the underline basis for what the leaders within the organization view as moral right or wrong. Communication is how the leaders will interact with each other, employees, and those outside of the organization. Next, the leader needs to select a style of leadership that best suites his/her own personal style as well as fits the organizational leadership structure.

There are two types of organizational leadership structures: horizontal and vertical leadership. Horizontal leadership or shared leadership refers to a structure where there is no defined leadership, instead, responsibilities are often shared. Whereas vertical leadership generally has a more defined structure and leaders are arranged in a top-down method.

Organizational leadership structures determine the culture of an organization. The culture of an organization is the shared values, beliefs, and ways of interactions and behaviors of those within the organization. In other words, the culture of the organization encompasses expectations, philosophies, follow of information, and communication methods of an organization.

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
Marcus Garvey 

Culture within an organization is essential to the success of an organization because it affects how employees communicate with internal/external clients. Culture can also include employees’ satisfaction with the organization. A lack of satisfaction of employees can lead to high turnover, decreased productivity, and a hostile work environment.

As you can see organizational leadership touches all aspects of an organization. In part, organizational leadership is the heart of all organizations. That is why it is important for leaders to play close attention to the structures selected.

 * quotes used are from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/

Kay 

So its the new year, now what?

Since I am official frozen in by the weather, I have spent a lot of time on the internet and watching television to no end. Before then I never really watch television except for at night because of my work schedule. But as I have watched day after day, I realize that after the new year celebration there is nothing really changing for people.

The shows return to regular programming and people like you and me return to work. I asked myself where is the big change, what happened to all of those promise we make in the new year? What I am saying is, the reason why things seem like they are the same is because we act the same. People are creatures of habit and therefore actions are harder to break, however, in 2014 I challenging everyone to not accepting this. With a new year, people should become new by reevaluating what worked  and did not work in the past. Then set truly obtainable goals but break them down into smaller pieces.

That is what I am doing now with this free write. I am just writing the first thing that comes to mind and I will hit publish. It seems crazy but there is a method to my complete madness. Here it is "Change start when you put yourself out their and do it.  Without regret or thinking of what others will think. You do not have to be 100% correct but it will come with time and practice. By taking a chance and see what comes your way." In the end it is not about being an imitation but being the best original work you can.

Kay

Happy New Year, 2014 is officially here

Wow 2013 is a memory, can you believe it. I certainly can not because so many great things have happened but I know 2014 holds greater things. This year I have decided not to do any resolutions, just actions. I call it "If you feel IT then do IT" movement. I want to come into 2014 as a new person with a new mind, so I am getting rid of the list and just going for it. What that means, I honestly do not know but it is worth the try.


Be blessed w/o stress

Kay